Forward Riley Lynch sealed the match’s fate by scoring in the 75th minute. The goal, his seventh of the year, gave him the team lead. (Jose Rocha)
MORAGA, Calif. — The Town FC shut out in-state rival LAFC2 on Sunday, taking a 2-0 victory at Saint Mary’s Stadium in the team’s regular-season home finale.
The Town (12-7-8, 48 points) scored in each of the two halves, capturing early momentum against an LAFC2 (12-9-6, 45 points) side it hadn’t previously bested in the regular season. TTFC’s relentless defense quieted the road team’s offense, tallying its third consecutive shutout. In its last three bouts, TTFC has outscored its opponents 5-0 — a highly successful stretch that has come at a critical time — as playoffs linger soon.
Clinching the playoffs last week, The Town FC knew that important seeding implications were on the line. Midfielder Cruz Medina — who turned 18 years old on Sep. 24 — opened up scoring for the Bay Area club, finding the back of the net in the 19th minute. The San Francisco native wasted no time in establishing offensive chances, as he nearly scored in the 14th minute, but to no avail. His goal hit the back of the net from a deflection and was his second in the last two games, and his third of the year.
Medina’s tally came off a tactical passing sequence, and his shot made it well past goalkeeper David Ochoa and an additional defender.
Tied for the third most goals in the Western Conference with 48, LAFC2’s offense vied for a timely response. But similar to a handful of games this season, The Town knew it needed to stand tall in the defensive third, aiding goalkeeper Emmanuel Ochoa, who made six saves.
“I’m super proud of Ochoa,” head coach Daniel DeGeer said postgame. “He communicates on the back line and he organizes the back line. He’s motivated, he’s hungry, and the ceiling is super high for him.”
TTFC continued to apply pressure as the match progressed, constantly searching for an insurance goal to receive breathing room. In the 75th minute, forward Riley Lynch rebounded midfielder Joel Garcia’s missed attempt and fired the ball near-post to double The Town’s score.
The goal was Lynch’s seventh of the year, which leads The Town FC. The former Saint Mary’s College standout has also notched three assists in his debut season in MLS NEXT Pro, exerting his dominance around the net.
“It felt amazing, great team effort,” Lynch said. “My opportunity came my way toward the end of the game, and I was able to put it away.”
The Town rode its momentum to victory, squashing LAFC2’s comeback hopes and taking its seventh regular-season win of 2024. Now sitting third in the Western Conference, TTFC will be in prime position for a favorable playoff matchup as soon as its postseason journey begins.
Midfielder Rohan Rajagopal made his first career start, logging 45 minutes in the victory.
The shutout further proved the team’s highly admirable defensive campaign, as the team’s 25 goals surrendered ranks first in the league by a significant margin and puts The Town FC below one goal per game on average.
“We can play against anyone,” Medina said. “It feels great.”
Next, The Town will play its final regular-season match on the road against Austin FC II, a team TTFC previously drew with earlier in the year. While The Town prepares for the playoffs, Austin — sitting just below the playoff line — will aim for a three-point outcome to potentially clinch a spot.
The Town FC’s closing match will take place at Parmer Field and will kick off at 1 p.m. on Oct. 6. The match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
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MATCH INFORMATION
2024 MLS NEXT Pro Season
The Town FC 2 – 0 LAFC2
Saint Mary’s Stadium
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Scoring Summary:
TTFC (1-0) — C. Medina 19’
TTFC (2-0) — R. Lynch 75’
Misconduct Summary:
LAFC2 — C. Jaime (Caution) 54’
TTFC — W. Eisner (Caution) 66’
TTFC — J. Garcia (Caution) 88’
The Town FC: E. Ochoa (GK), R. Ibarra, C. Walls, A. Cano (S. Bilter – 88’), W. Eisner, C. Medina (C) (J. Spivey – 78’), R. Rajagopal (J. Garcia – 46’), B. Leroux, W. Richmond (J. Donnery – 46’), E. Blancas, R. Lynch (J. Ricketts – 78’)
Substitutes not used: C. Cowell, D. Sweeney, O. Hernandez, T. Allen
SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; FOULS: 13; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 6
LAFC2: D. Ochoa (GK), A. Sanders, C. Diaz, D. Guerra (M. Wanchope – 68’), B. Moyado (T. Musto – 46’), C. Jaime (C), C. Rosenthal (A. Wibowo – 46’), J. Terry, L. Müller, N. Sullivan (J. Hernandez – 46’), M. Evans (D. Resich – 72’)
Substitutes not used: B. Darboe, D. Auffret
SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; FOULS: 11; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 6